"No, It is not time for that yet!", the king barked, "You will be separated for a period of time, deliberately kept away from each other, than I will continue with my plan!"

---

After ten minutes of going back and forth with the man, Zane found himself panting heavily, his cloths beginning to tear away. Several small gashes were in the fabric, and a bloody stripe could be seen through each one. "Please, just let me see her before you kill me, because I know that you will soon end my life..."

"You have it all wrong!" The man sneered, "You will be kept alive, but will barely survive each day... You will see her again, but not for a long time. Soon afterwads, you will than be executed. As I said, we will break you, Zane."

---

"Well, It looks like we're on the south wall, overlooking the prisoner's cells... ", Rosalie said, glancing up from the map to see a lone guard, the only female one she'd ever seen, enter into another room beside the one Rukiea was currently captive in.

---

Aria looked around to be sure no one was watching her, than quietly entered the cell, closing the door behind her. This was the highest security chamber they had, so there was an entry door that led to a hallway that twisted and turned, sometimes even folding back upon itself. If you navigated it propperly, you would come to a door, the key to it being in the King's posession. But all the guards had aces to the first door.

She came to the heavy wooden door with only a single barred window and whispered, "How are you holding up?" 

"Not well..." came a soft, but wonderful, masculine voice, "They whipped me again today... I fear I will be unable to take much more punishment... If you hadn't been bringing me food, I wold already have perished..." He changed position, groaning, and Aria heard the sound of the heavy chains that bound him to the wall rattling against each other. "But as yo can probably tell, they've realized someone was feeding me... They shortened my bindings, and I can no longer recieve your rations... I am sorry, my dear, but it seems that I will die, and most likely sooner rather than later...."

"Don't give up, please Mathew, don't resign yourself to the fate they have dictated that you should have! I promise, I'll find a way to get you out of this horrible place... And we can finally be truly toether again, my love...", Aria said, peering through the bars at her boyfriend, who was chained to the wall of the cell, blood seeping from several wounds, scars and scabs covering several places  of his body. His clothes were shredded and barely covering him anymore. "I will come later, please, don't give up...", she said, leaving.

((lolz..))

Rukiea looked up and her eyes faded back to gold. "FIne... Don't let me see him... I wish not to cause him pain any longer... And you know... I can't agree with you.. The women inside teh castle... Are all pretty ugly.. I've seen them myself.. I don't know if you rememeber me, but i was a maid here once.... It was a disguise.." She sat back down and grabbed a blue ribbon from her pouch. She held it in her teeth and looked up. "Remember your maid that was closest to Zane and the Queen? Sweet, innocent, good, angelic little Sheng?" She spat out the ribbon and again spat, but it was blood from the first slap, onto his pants.

~~~

Jake looked at the guard. "I'll be back.. Hang on.. Stay here." He hopped down and landed in a bush. He laid low and watched her. He ran over and quickly covered her mouth and had both her arms locked. She was basically a captive. He whispered, "Girl, please do not panic.. You seem very good hearted... I can tell becasue I don't think you should be bringing food into that cell.. But we need help.. I'm sorry if you won't cooperate... But if you do.. whoever you are taking care of in that cell... I'll personally help you get him or her out of there.. We just need your help.. Please..."

"Yes, I remember you...", he growled, turning around, "But it's not time to walk down memory lane, I have other buisiness to attend to." With that the king and his two personal bodyguards left the room.

---

Zane tried to ignore the stinging, burning sensation he felt  all over, but it had become impossible. It was all he could foccus on now, a blinding  pain overcoming all. His vision went blank and his body became limp.

The man chuckled, unhooking Zane from the loop and dragging him into a new cell, the one to the right of Rukiea's.

---

 Aria: anime Girl Flowers.jpg

Mathew:  anime_guy-1.jpg 

Aria tried to scream when Jake grabbed her from behind, but could not speak through his hand. She nodded, trying to communicate that she would help him. "Mathew, my love, you will finally be freed!", she thought, happy. 

Rukiea head a door slam in the cell next to her's. Without a window, she couldn't even see who it was. Maybe another Viper had been captured, maybe it was a new person, maybe, just maybe, it was Zane. She dared not to call out for the person next to her. She looked down at the blue ribbon and grabbed it in her teeth. She dropped it on the ground next to her and she painfully grabbed it with her hands. She tore it into slivers, not over a centimeter thick. She took each strand and tied them together to make a long ribbon, at least twice as long as the other one. She laid on the floor as best she could and tied her silver hair back. She sat up, now wanting to know who was next to her. "Hello!! Who is next to me!!" She called out.

~~~

Jake smiled and uncupped her mouth. "Alright. Thank you very much." He bowed slightly to show gratitude. He put her on his back and ran to the wall. He used a small statue and jumped back onto the wall. He walked over to Rosalie and put the girl down. "Yo, she's guna help us. In return, I'm helping her free someone from that cell." He nodded to the cell next to Rukiea's. "It looked more heavily guarded, so i'll do it alone with her. Got it?" He grabbed the map and handed it to Aria. "Look, I'm Jake, and we need you to help us find a way into that cell without getting caught, or without having me kill too many guards." He pointed to Rukiea's cell. "Now, show me a way... We can take it from there, I'll come back here and help you once we get our friends out."

Zane awoke to the sound of Rukiea's voce, a sharp pain throbbing throughout his body. "Rukiea...?", he groaned, crying out as he sat up, finding himself chained to the wall in a completely unfamiliar cell."Rukiea, are you okay...?"

---

"My name is Aria..." Aria said softly, "Mathew's the one in that cell... He... He tried to defy them, made an attempt to kill the king to end his reign of corruptness... His plan was foiled, and he's been in there ever since, suffering immesurable punnishment... Until today, the only reason he's survived is the food I've been bringing him, but they shortened his bindings... Mathew's nearly connected directly to the wall mow... I have the keys to every cell but his..." She studied the map, frowning and shakng her head. "This is far outdated... Where did you get it from? Anyway, I don't need a map to get around this place..."

Rukiea smiled at the sound of his voice. "Zane... Thank god it you over there.. Anyways, I'm kind of beat up. My wrists are bleeding from him trying to make me stand.. And he slapped me for spittin gon his pants..." She chuckled lightly. "And what about you? Are you.. Okay?"

~~~

Jake looked at her. "Um.. One of your comrands.. Sebastian.. He was executed because he was charged for treason on an unrelated charge to teh Vipers. He was convicted wrongly and therefore killed in the gallows. I watched from the roof top and it pained me to him die. He looked up at me befre he was dropped.. He smiled slightly and mouthed out: Never give up..." He looked down and at teh red rosed blossoming. "I never forgot that day .. Or him.. Pleas ehelp us before they execute all of our loved ones. I can help you  free Mathew like nothing.. I'm trained to do so... I was actually trained here.... I don't know if you are old enough to remember but if you do, there was a younge boy here.. By teh name of Rex.. He trained in teh military and was supposedly killed.. I'm tat boy.. But it was a disguise I had..."

"No, I am far from okay...", Zane said, grinning to himself, "But I'll be fine after... After they heal... I'm just glad that you're in better condition than I am..."

---

"Don't worry, I will... Mathew's execution date is tomorrow... He does not know it, but he is set to die in exactly an hour... I knew Sebastien... He was my brother... Ironically, the day he was killed was exactly fifteen years after Princess Rosie's kidnapping and supposed murder... But I know she's alive, I helped steal her away myself, though Sebastian was the ringleader. I remember you, Rex, he would come visit us sometimes... So that was you? I'm glad to know you've not been killed yet... Oh, and back to Rosie... She's standing next to you." She nodded twoards Rosalie, whose eyes grew wide.

"Me?", she asked in complete disbeliefe, "but my name is Rosalie..." 

"That is what Sebastien decided to call you... Not far off from your origional name.", Aria explained. "You and Zane are siblings." 

((Rex? REX?! GAH... I'm Watching Speed Racer, LOL. )) 

Rukiea's eyes widened. "Your father.. He told me his plan.. He's going to keep us away from each other for as long as possible... Once that sepatation is over, he plans to just use me.. To break you.. He'll toture me to death to break you... Zane... No matter what happens to me, you mustn't let out any information.. If it kills me.... Don't let him break you.. You are much stronger than he is.. You can't let yourself be broken.."

~~~

Jake looked at her. "What? So that's why Sebastian.... Nevermind.. If Matt is going to be executed soon, you must just tell them how to get our friends out. I can help you right away instead of waiting for us to free our friends first. Nobody should be executed by that aweful man.. And I'm afraid, if we don't split up, he may just kill us all in one sweep. So, tell them... And i'll work on getting Matt right now.." He grabbed the keys around her belt and yanked them all off. The belt snapping in half. He jumped down and hid in a bush as a guard came by. He quickly threw a needle at him and kicked him into a pond. He ran over and unlocked the first door leading to Matt's cell.

(are there any guards in that first chamber?)

"If you die, there's nothing left for me to live for." Zane said softly, "Rukiea, I love you more than anything... I would tell him anything to prevent your death... Even if it means that all hope for our cause will be lost, you will not be..."

---

((Nope, but he has to navigate a maze to find Matt.)) 

Aria tried to say something, but Jake had already gone. "Mr. Genius over ther just took your friends only possible means of escape." she said dryly, "He's also gonna get himself killed. I'm one of three people that know how to navigate the maze leading up to Matt's cell, the other two being Zane and his father."

"That's just perfect...", Rosalie groaned, "I'm a princess, our friends are trapped, and Jake's gonna die. Worst day ever..."

Rukiea looked toward the cell. "If you disclose information from the Vipers. Your okay.. If you tell teh King anything.. Your going to break our code of honor.. Zane.. Trust me.. I'm tougher than you think and I have my ways of surviving... I may not look like much, but i'm almost as strong as Jake.. And almost as fast. He's a boy and grew up training with my father. Sure he;s faster than me and stronger, but I can take him on.."

~~~

Jake looked insdie and noticed two pathways. "Oh great!" He ran out and looked at Aria. :You neer told me there was a maze." He saw a guard coming and quickly threw Aria her keys. He ran into the cell and clammed teh door shut. He ran in and threw a kunai down one path. He shot another one at that one and it hit a wall. He ran down it and looked. He threw another kunai. "Dead end.." He ran back and ran down the other pathway, a kunai in his hand, scraping against the stone walls, leaving behind a white mark and a shower of sparks.

"You're right...", Zane whispered, "I could never do such a thing... But I still do not wish for you to be treated as I have been... If any such thing were to happen, I would never forgive myself..."

---

 "Well, at least we can get the others now... Rosie, you and I can rescue Zane, the others can get Rukiea." She pulled a single key from the ring, tossing the ring to Sam. "C'mon, time to fetch your brother."

Rosalie nodded, absentmindedly following Aria to the door of Zane's cell and unlocked it. "The same key is used for the door and the manacles.", Aria explained as she opened the door. Rosalie saw Zane, bleeding from numerous wounds, a grim smile upon his face.

"Rosalie!", he cried out with a start, jumping slightly, regretting it the second he did, "You've cme for us!"

Rukiea heard Zane call Rosalie's name. "Rosalie!! Oh god you guys found up!! Where is Jake?!" She tried to stand but was taken down bu the bindings. "Ow.. Why are these so low to the damn ground!" She tugged on them and bit her lip. "Ow..."

~~~

Jake ran down the pathway and came to an intersection. He had three way sto go. He grabbed a roped and pinned it to the ground. He held onto the other part and began to walk down one pathway. He blindly bumped into a wall. "Ow..." He ran back and went down another path, It was longer, but it led him to the place he started at. He unhook the rope and ran down teh last pathway. He could see a door way. It had a single barred window. He looked in. "Yo... Are you Matthew? Aria sent me in to break you out. I'm a pro at this, so do not panic.. Tell me, are you Matthew?" He took out a needle and stuck it into teh key hole. He began to fiddle around with the lock until teh needle broke. "Whoops.. It needs to be stronger.." He took out a thicker needle.

"Yes, that is my name", came Mathew's voice, "Aria sent you? Is she here as well?" He tried to see through the window, but could discern nothing through the darkness.

---

"Sam and Jay have the keys to your cell.", Rosalie said, jumping slghtly when Aria handed her the key. 

"He's your brother." she said, shrugging. 

Rosalie bent down bedside Zane and unlocked the shackles binding him to the wall, revealing his chafed and slightly blistered wrists.  "What have they done to you?" she asked, looking at his numerous wounds.

"It's nothing compared to what they had the ability to do. Come on, we have to get out, or they'll capture you as well." Zane said, hurrying us outside.

Sam climbed down from the wall after catching the keys. "Leita, come with me. We have the key to get Rukeia out. Aria and Rose are getting Zane now. Jake went after Mathew. Come on, we have to hurry." He was already climbing up the wall before Leita could say anything.

"You'll be alright by yourself for a bit?" Leita asked, heading towards the wall. She waited for Jay to nod before she followed Sam. "Alright Sam, I'm lost. Who's Aria and Mathew?" She asked as she followed him to Rukiea's cell.

Sam shook his head. "I'll tell you once everyone is together. It'll be easier that way. Just know that they are on our side, alright?" He looked into the cell. "Rukiea? Are you in there?"

Jake smiled. "Sorry, but she isn't here...  But you will soon get to see her.." He quickly began to fiddle with the needle, that fiddled with the lock. He heard a click and slowly opened teh door. "I'm Jake... And Aria sent me into here to save you.." He walked over and looked at Matthew. "Ow.. Your bleeding  a lot..." He bent down and took off his belt. He took out a few bandage wraps and cleaning products. He took out a small rag and sprays the antibacterial onto it. "THis is going to sting, but bear with it.." He began to wipe down Mathews body. He ripped off the rest of his clothes and cleaned the wounds. He finished and rubbed a thin plant juice on the wounds. He then wrapped the bandages around his body. He took out clothes from another pouch. "Here, I always keep extra. We look about the same body type.." He took out his sword and sliced the chains from the cuffs that bound his ankles and wrists. "Sorry, but we can't take much time. I'll remove your cuffs later."

~~~

Rukiea heard Sam's voice and she leaned forward. The shackle chains jingled. "Sam! Oh Sam, thank god you came to save me.. Please hurry and unlock my cell. I don't want to get you guys captured as well." She looked at the window and could barely make out Sam's features. "Is Jake there?"